A 1979 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, I returned to Worcester in September 1980 and began my publishing career selling advertising for Worcester Magazine, a whimsical alternative weekly. In the 44 years since, I have watched our region go through ups and downs, grow and evolve, and see great companies and individuals lead the way.
Worcester Magazine was not a traditional magazine, but an alternative tabloid weekly. Nevertheless, its founders, Dan Kaplan and Rick Lent, were true entrepreneurs, and in 1981, five years after starting WM, they launched Business Worcester, a monthly business magazine. I did. The first issue featured this year’s business leaders. Our choice was Bill Short, the legendary president of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce. My experience with servant leadership has been shallow and I have maintained my modesty for so long that I have repeatedly declined our requests to only have my photo on the cover. We Didn’t Relent and a photo of Short and his entire senior team was published.
Back in 1989, the real estate bubble burst and a full-blown savings and loan crisis affected banks, developers, and many other businesses, including the owners of Worcester Co., an out-of-state business at the time. I did. Just as the company is in dire straits, a white knight magically appears.
Allen Fletcher, whose family owned the Telegram and Gazette, returned to Worcester from the West Coast, ostensibly for the opportunity to work there and eventually run the paper of record. In addition to being a reporter for the Fitchburg bureau, he was also a member of the board of directors. But in 1986, T&G was sold to the San Francisco Chronicle, ending the chapter of local ownership. So while Business Worcester closed at the end of 1989, Fletcher, with great encouragement from Paul Giorgio, jumped at the chance to bring the remaining team into the new venture. This was the birth of the Worcester Business Journal. , 35 years ago.
Our first office was a temporary space in a manufacturing building in the West Boylston Industrial Park owned by businessman and state senator Arthur Chase. It featured orange shag carpet and windows that were tightly sealed and wouldn’t open, and the price was fair. The temporary office was a hive of activity until the new company got off the ground.
WBJ was the founding publication of what later became Worcester Publishing Limited. Like its earlier predecessor, the company expanded rapidly with a surge in talent, founding the Hartford Business Journal in 1992 and subsequently acquiring Worcester Magazine in 1993.
In 1998, the company added a third business publication by acquiring the fledgling Mainebiz. This led to WBJ associate publisher Donna Brassard moving to Maine, where she would run the division for the next 23 years. Ownership changed again in 2007 when Hartford publisher Joe Zwiebel and I purchased three business magazines from Allen Fletcher. In 2020, the latest ownership change saw current partner Tom Curtin take over Zwiebel’s interest. It’s been quite a journey.
Worcester County is a small market and over time you get to know almost all the players. As a young publisher in my late twenties, I was inspired by the likes of Dick Neder of Tom McCann, Herb Dunnington of Safety Fund Bank, and Paul Morgan, the legendary head of Morgan Construction. I remember meeting the CEOs. They were all open and encouraging. We’ve also witnessed some amazing entrepreneurs grow their businesses like beanstalks in their backyards. Valentin Gapontsev is a Russian immigrant who in 1998 built the Oxford-based startup IPG Photonics into a $3 billion public company that dominated the industry. At Consigli Construction in Milford, fourth-generation brothers Anthony and Matthew Consigli took over the family business from 15 employees in 1990 to 30% in annual revenue with more than 1,800 employees in 16 offices across the Northeast. Grew the business to $1 billion. And I am grateful to a dedicated community of people who are making a difference, including the late Jack Healy, who led the Massachusetts Manufacturing Expansion Partnership for many years and championed local manufacturing, and the late Ted Coughlin, who was a tireless advocate for technical education. I met the leaders of And his decades of hard work paid off with the opening of the new Worcester Technical High School.
Sure, there are some big egos and difficult personalities here, but overwhelmingly, our region’s strong sense of community and common mission makes people, even those in high positions, more They seem friendly and approachable. I often think that the market’s ego is as big as the tallest office building in town. There are really big office buildings in Boston and New York. Fortunately, Worcester never really built up its skyline by building a bunch of office towers, which seems like a lucky turn of events in today’s real estate market.
On a regular basis, we are all asked, “Why do you come to work every day?” For me, it’s very simple. I love this job, the creation of questions and all the stories, data, and design elements they are comprised of, and the impactful role we can play in the community. And I love working alongside smart, talented, and dedicated colleagues who make that happen every day.
Every organization needs the energy, ideas and fresh perspectives that new colleagues bring to the table, but they also need continuity and people who understand and can support maintaining culture and know-how. We are blessed to have long-standing colleagues in advertising, design and events who have contributed greatly to our long-term success. This includes Mark Murray, 40, associate publisher, general manager. Manager Chris Prosser (29 years old) and production director Kira Beaudoin (24 years old).
Additionally, the heart of our brand is its editorial content. Independent journalism is core to our value system, and we believe it’s the only way to produce trustworthy content that our readers can trust. Although I lead the state as a publisher, the church is led by editors, and I have deep respect for the central role they play in making our operations successful. WBJ’s founding editor was the venerable Mike Warshaw, followed by a long stint with Steve Jones D’Agostino who passed the baton to Christine O’Neal, who worked with Christina Davis, Rick Sire, and today’s talented editors. Editor Brad Kane followed. Brad’s talent and the skills of his staff and freelancers are featured across the pages of this magazine and every edition we produce.
Dear Central Massachusetts Community: Dear readers, advertisers, and event attendees, we count on you as a source for our stories, as a partner in our efforts, and as a partner in our ongoing support. Thank you for your time. There is a positive difference here. We couldn’t do it without you. We aim to provide you with the content you can rely on for years to come.
Peter Stanton is the publisher of the Worcester Business Journal and CEO and co-owner of its parent company, New England Business Media.
